Athletic Report
March 7, 2002

ENMU WINS FIVE OF SIX SINGLES MATCHES IN 7-2 VICTORY OVER ST. MARY’S
NEW BRAUNFELS, TX – The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team, currently ranked #13 in NCAA Division II, won five of six singles matches on its way to a 7-2 victory over St. Mary’s University (Texas), in a non-conference match, March 7 in New Braunfels, Texas. ENMU improved to 2-0 on the season against NCAA Division II opponents.

Bethanie Nix (So., Spring, TX/Newman Smith H.S.) and Sarah Pennington (Sr., Sweetwater, TX/Sweetwater H.S.) each won in 3 sets for ENMU. Their wins were important to Eastern’s overall triumph. Nix, fighting a sinus infection and a sore throat, won the first set over Sonya Ortiz at #2 singles, 6-0, but had to battle back after losing the second set 7-6 (9-7 tie-breaker). The third set was a 10-point tie-breaker, which lasted a few extra rallies before Nix won 12-10.Pennington won the first set, 6-4, in her match with Jeanette Robles at #5 singles, before dropping the second set 6-4. She won the tie-breaker for the third set, 10-0.

Layla Turner (Sr., Casa Grande, AZ/Casa Grande Union H.S.), ranked #7 in NCAA Division II in singles, won the #1 singles match for ENMU. She defeated Paula Almeida, 6-2, 6-3. Lisa Weinman (Jr., Albuquerque, NM/West Mesa H.S.) won #3 singles, 6-2, 6-2, over Diana Ramirez, and Janelle Sanchez (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/Cibola H.S.) won #4 singles by a 6-3, 6-2 margin over Monica Gonzalez. St. Mary’s claimed its only singles victory in the #6 singles match. Thuy Phan won the match for the Lady Rattlers with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Sarah Salazar (Jr., Belen, NM/St. Pius X H.S.).

The Zias opened the match by winning #1 doubles and #2 doubles. Turner and Nix, ranked #20 in NCAA Division II, defeated Almeida and Ortiz, 8-4. Weinman and Pennington easily defeated Gonzalez and Robles, 8-1. Phan and Ramirez of St. Mary’s won #3 doubles, 8-5, over Sanchez and Salazar.

"We are working on a lot more net play and poaching in practice, and it is paying off," ENMU Head Coach Christine Blaeser said of the doubles action. "Weinman and Pennington are really playing impressive doubles. They are closing the net and not letting many balls get past them."

ENMU plays in New Braunfels again on Friday, March 8. The Zias will take on St. Edwards University (Texas), starting at 2:30 p.m. (MST).

(#13) Eastern New Mexico 7 St. Mary’s (Texas) 2
SINGLES:
#1 -- Layla Turner (ENMU) defeated Paula Almeida (SMU), 6-2, 6-3
#2 -- Bethanie Nix (ENMU) defeated Sonya Ortiz (SMU), 6-0, 6-7 (7-9), 12-10
#3 -- Lisa Weinman (ENMU) defeated Diana Ramirez (SMU), 6-2, 6-2
#4 -- Janelle Sanchez (ENMU) defeated Monica Gonzalez (SMU), 6-3, 6-2
#5 -- Sarah Pennington (ENMU) defeated Jeanette Robles (SMU), 6-4, 4-6, 10-0
#6 -- Thuy Phan (SMU) defeated Sarah Salazar (ENMU), 6-3, 6-4
DOUBLES:
#1 -- Turner and Nix (ENMU) defeated Almeida and Ortiz (SMU), 8-4
#2 -- Weinman and Pennington (ENMU) defeated Gonzalez and Robles (SMU), 8-1
#3 -- Phan and Ramirez (SMU) defeated Sanchez and Salazar (ENMU), 8-5